Deryck Whibley, the frontman of Sum 41, has marked the end of his 10-year sobriety journey by sharing his memories about recovering from alcohol addiction. In a post on Instagram, Whibley, who is now 44, revealed that he used to drink excessively and crossed the line of being functional to becoming addicted and dependent. In 2014, he fell unconscious after heavy drinking, causing his liver and kidneys to collapse. Doctors warned him that if he had another drink, he would most likely die. Now sober for 10 years, Whibley described himself as physically and mentally strong, healthy, happy, and in the best place he has ever been in his life.
Whibley also shared that he was recognized for a decade of sobriety on April 15th. He started his post by explaining that he does not count the days and rarely knows the actual date. When he ended up in hospital 10 years ago, his life had turned to tatters, and his band Sum 41 was at its lowest point. Members had left, they couldn’t speak to each other, tours weren’t selling, and the future looked bleak. However, he vowed to fight, work, and scrape their way back to the top if he survived his addiction. And he did. Sum 41 has now released their eighth and final record, a double album entitled Heaven :x: Hell.
Last September, Whibley contracted pneumonia, which led to a brief hospital stay after the diagnosis of COVID-19. Despite the pandemic still affecting many countries, Whibley is now in good health, thanks to his wife and two children’s support. Looking back, he is grateful for the help he has received and is thankful to be where he is today because he acknowledges that it was hard and required effort.
Whibley disclosed that the new album has moved on from its earlier sound, but there is more to the album than nostalgia. He stated that if he tried to replicate All Killer no Filler, he couldn’t, but the songs sound like they could be from those eras. Sum 41 sealed their place in history long ago, but the album could be described as a fitting last hurrah. It blends diverse soundscapes that constitute a perfect send-off for the band
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